The present invention relates to military aircraft, and, in particular, relates to fighter aircraft engaged in close-in, air-to-air combat.
In a typical combat situation, the aggressor aircraft must maneuver behind the target aircraft to lock-on to fire either short-range missiles or guns. The target aircraft must take evasive action as a result. The aggressor relies on visual cues from the target to anticipate its next position. The aggressor anticipates his prey's next move by watching the changing position of the target's wings and keeping track of nose position and changing energy levels. All things being equal, opposing pilots of equal ability with two similar aircraft starting at the same energy level, the one who is unpredictable will survive. The aircraft in the defensive position tries to remain as unpredictable as possible to deprive his potential killer of every advantage.
Present day aircraft attempting to make violent maneuvers, for example, instantly pitching downward at its maximum load, for example, can subject the pilot to blackout, headaches, bloody eyes, and even death.
The AFTI (Advanced Fighter Technology Integration)/F-16 can perform a no-nose tracking, uncoordinated side-slip maneuver by loading a side force on its vertical "canards" and its vertical stabilizer. The limits to such a maneuver, however, are the relative inefficiency of the vertical tail (compared with the wings) as a primary lifting surface and the inability of the pilot to withstand more than 3 g's of side force comfortably.
In order to keep the g force acting head to feet, in a maneuver such as a 180 degree change in direction to a lower altitude, the pilot must execute a partial barrel roll with an inside turn. Special suits are worn to counter high positive g's. These g-suits are ineffective against negative g's or side forces.
It is clear that present day aircraft are limited in the manner by which they can avoid a following aggressor. An aircraft able to perform maximum load maneuvers in any direction without subjecting the pilot to negative g's or side forces is clearly desired.